Siddapura (Kodagu): A Village Accountant (VA) reportedly jumped into the Cauvery river near Kodangeri in Ammathi hobli of Kodagu district on Saturday to catch sand miners who were illegally extracting sand from the river.

Following complaints of sand mafia operating in Cauvery river, Virajpet Tahsildar R. Govindaraju, Revenue Inspector Anil Kumar, Mines and Geology Department officials Reshma Bi and Nagendrappa and Ammathi hobli’s Halagunda VA   Omappa Banagar raided the spot, when they found some persons illegally extracting sand in three iron coracles. Upon noticing the officials, the culprits drowned two coracles and used the other to reach the other end of the river.

VA Omappa Banagar who, saw them fleeing, jumped into the river in a bid to catch them. However, the culprits managed to jump off the coracle and escaped by swimming to the other bed of the river and subsequently Banagar brought the coracle, which was abandoned by the culprits in the middle of the river, to the river bed. Siddapura Police have registered a case in this regard. Tahsildar Govindaraju said that Omappa Banagar will be felicitated for his daring act, during the Republic Day celebration.